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State Representative Patti Fritz
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-8237
For more information contact: Sandy Connolly 651-296-8877
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HOUSE PASSES NATION-LEADING HEALTH CARE REFORM BILL
St. Paul, MN – The Minnesota House of Representatives passed a Health Care Reform bill on Thursday that will transform the health care system in the state.
According to State Rep. Patti Fritz, a co-author of the bill, the legislation will make health care more affordable for Minnesotans with insurance, lower overall costs, extend coverage to the uninsured and change the health care system so that it actually pays to keep people healthy.
"The high cost of health care has become one of the top concerns for Minnesotans – whether they have insurance, or not," said Fritz. "This bill represents true reform of a health care system that no longer works for a majority of the people."
One of the key components of the reform bill is the focus on helping people manage their chronic diseases, instead of just paying for expensive treatments and procedures.
"This bill will pay doctors and nurses to help people stay healthy, such as quitting smoking or monitoring their diabetes," said Fritz. "Our current system pays to treat lung cancer, for example, but doesn't pay doctors to help prevent the cancer in the first place.
That's not only bad for the patient, it is also costly for the entire health care system."
The bill expands health care coverage for Minnesotans who do not have coverage through their employer, and also establishes an affordability standard, putting coverage within reach of every Minnesotan.
"A recent survey done by Families USA shows that over 1 million Minnesotans are currently paying more than 10% of their income for health care, and nearly a quarter of a million people with insurance pay over 25% of the income for health care," said Fritz.
"If this legislation becomes law, no middle class family will pay more than 6% or 8% of their annual income for health care."
The health care reform package is funded entirely by the Health Care Access Fund, a self- supporting fund that was created to manage the MinnesotaCare program, the state insurance plan for Minnesotans who can not get insurance through their employer. The fund receives its revenues from provider taxes paid by hospitals, surgical centers and other health care providers, premiums on behalf of MinnesotaCare enrollees, a 1% gross premiums tax, and federal matching funds.
"We have a plan that is supported by the medical community, labor groups, HMOs and patients, and we have a way to pay for it," said Fritz. "This bill will once again make Minnesota a leader in health care reform."
If you have questions about the health care reform bill, contact Rep. Fritz at (651) 296-8237, 551 State Office Building, 100 Martin Luther King Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155 or via e-mail at rep.patti.fritz@house.mn.
News Items
- STATE REP. PATTI FRITZ PARTICIPATES IN START OF LEGISLATIVE SESSION - (Posted: Jan 9 2013 3:32PM)
- Rep. Fritz: Homeowners, Farmers Need Property Tax Relief - (Posted: 2012-05-01 00:00:00)
- Rep. Fritz: Let’s Vote on a Bonding Bill that Benefits All - (Posted: 2012-04-19 00:00:00)
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